The Curious Case of Christopher Cantwell

This week the Keene Sentinel published a front-page article about Christopher Cantwell, a racist, white-supremacist podcaster who lives in Keene. Unfortunately the Sentinel’s original version of the article, which appears in the print edition, erroneously claims that Chris Cantwell was a Free Keene blogger. Thankfully, the Sentinel quickly corrected that error in their online edition, as Chris has never been a blogger here at Free Keene. Free Keene’s motto is “Peaceful Evolution”. Chris’ message over the years has never been one of peace, so he never has been invited to blog here. People advocating violence and hate are not welcome to blog on this site.

If you search for his name on this site, you’ll find a bunch of articles about him. That’s because until the last year or two of his life, he’d been a libertarian activist with no known racist streak. Free Keene reports on libertarian activism statewide, so we’ve covered some of the things he’s done over time.

When Chris first moved to Keene several years ago, he was just an angry libertarian comedian who had a major hatred for the police. His then-beliefs about using violence against the state’s agents were immediately controversial among the various libertarians who’d moved here as part of the Free State Project. Those beliefs aren’t atypical of some libertarians, especially those who’ve been directly affected by the police state, as Chris had back in New York, where he was born and raised. However, they were voiced by him loudly enough to get him kicked out of the Free State Project and ostracized by a bunch of people.

Chris in Simpler Times, Acting as Security for the Hallowkeene Dance Party in 2014.

As I predicted, once Chris was able to connect with the Keene police, he started to see them as human beings, just as I had a decade ago after moving here with a similar axe to grind against police. Unfortunately, Chris’ anger shifted away from the police and onto people who look different from him.

A couple of years ago, he began down this road to his current skinhead-racist form and once that happened, we had to dump him as a co-host of my radio show, Free Talk Live. As libertarians, we believe in the individual and don’t see people as groups based on color, gender, or religion. Chris now only sees the group rather than the individual. He’s one of the few people who has turned away from the libertarian message after having embraced it.

As long as I’ve known him, he’s always fed off the hate directed towards him. He’s even said that the more people hate him, the more money he makes. Now he’s more hated than he’s ever been after this weekend’s huge publicity explosion for him after his involvement in the protests and fights down in Charlottesville. Here’s a 20 minute VICE documentary that has gone viral featuring his horrible, racist views.

Is this racist turn just a money-making scheme for him? Others believe Chris is actually an undercover agent or confidential informant for the federal government. While I don’t personally believe that about him, having known him pretty well for several years, I understand why they believe that. He fits the bill for an agent provocateur. The advocates of this theory say that Chris came into the libertarian movement advocating for violence against police, but when that didn’t work, he got reassigned to advocate for violence in the white supremacy movement. It wouldn’t be the first time the federal government had a radio host working for them inside the white supremacists.

Regardless of whatever the truth is about Chris and his motivations, his racist views are despicable and I think I can speak for all the bloggers here (if not, they can reply with their own blog) when I say we don’t support racism or hating people because of their religion or gender. Individuals should be judged on their actions and words, not the circumstances of their birth.

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59 Comments

Bye bye bye…
Hope you like jail.?
There gonna ????????U. In the shower that is?????. Chicken ?.

Tai R
on August 16, 2017 at 3:42 pm

I have been meaning to unsubscribe from Cantwell from YouTube for some time, ever since he endorsed Trump during the 2016 election. Haven’t watched him since.

Real Picks
on August 16, 2017 at 5:19 pm

You crying little B! You were pretty tuff on Vice saying how much violence you are ready to create, but now you’re confronted with arrest… Where’s your cockiness now? Where’s your guns to show us? How does it feel to be on the wrong side and that Weight on your shoulders! You’re nothing but a coward that talks big when people are standing next to you and encouraging you.

Real Picks, you know Cantwell didn’t write this and doesn’t blog here, right? If you want to send him a message, visit christophercantwell.com

Jumping Jacks
on August 16, 2017 at 7:47 pm

His facebook page was shut down. He was part of the freekeene group for a while. freekeene supported him through a lot of his bullshit. He is a loser, copblock supported him for a while. It just shows the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Joe Moraca
on August 16, 2017 at 8:51 pm

CC is so far gone I don’t know if you can come back from there. I want to believe he is faking that BS because I don’t understand how a real person can think that way.

Drac Vermell
on August 16, 2017 at 9:04 pm

My goodness, Jacks, just look at how enthusiastic you are today! Is it because this latest effort to suppress your rival’s speech has brought you and your dear friends one step closer to establishing your utopia? Why don’t you show some appreciation by donating Chris some money? He takes bitcoins, by the way.

Patti
on August 16, 2017 at 9:53 pm

This guy is an infection-he hasnbecome warped and insane through his drig usage and having some serious issues. I grew up in NH, and I live in southern NH now,and I am ashamed that he is polluting our state-a state that lost many good men and women fighting for ourbfreedoms and for equality. He needs to understand how blessed he is to live in a country where we have these rights, and where and why our extremely intelligent forefathers were coming from when they formed the basis for our country…which made us what we are now.

Patti
on August 16, 2017 at 9:56 pm

Sorry for the typos…should have proofread-didn’t realize i couldn’t edit once posted. I type too fast when i am fired up, and this jerk fires me up. He is a loser and will continue losing…

davidinkeene
on August 16, 2017 at 10:17 pm

theres no curiosity except the one of how Ian yammers on about principles then sucks a racists cock to the detriment of keene … Ian is a liar.. and a hypocrite… keene will be a better town without him … there wont be racists on the front page

davidinkeene
on August 16, 2017 at 10:22 pm

if he had any principles or class or maturity, he would have refraained from giving this racists more copy but…Ian is low… all Ian and cantwell cre about is clicks…this is how Ian the hypoctite gets clicks by racists proxy…hes getting clicks by proxy and can say “im not the bad one”… it would have been nice if Ian used discretions this time…that was the hopeless hope… yea he’ll give some fucking bullcrap song and dance as to why him pumping cantwell is ok..

Susan Bruce
on August 16, 2017 at 10:25 pm

What an amazingly revisionist history, Ian. Nice of you to attempt to sanitize Cantwell for media consumption.

davidinkeene
on August 16, 2017 at 10:29 pm

Keene is the town of Johnathan Daniels …This is what ian brings/loves… Ian rolled out the red carpet ,cajoled this motherfucker to come here.. Good people were driven away because of it..

davidinkeene
on August 16, 2017 at 10:30 pm

did i mention that Ian Freeman is a lying hypocritical fucking scum bag?

Ian knows Chris better than you do, Susan. So it’s only natural that he’d write an article about him. You fancy yourself a journalist, don’t you dear? Maybe you should put your nose to the grindstone and give us the real story then, hmm? Lurking about the comments section with the rest of us is so beneath you.

Susan Bruce
on August 16, 2017 at 11:20 pm

I don’t fancy myself a journalist, dickweed. But hey – while we’re on the subject, DRECK, at least I’m here, bravely using my own name, which is more than you can say for yourself. Typical cowardly blowhard.

I’ve had the privilege of talking with cantdowell on a couple of occasions and he is indeed a fake human with a mental illness. This dude has unresolved anger issues that lead him to the lowest hanging fruit and an opportunity to capitalize off of other mentally ill humans. If no one paid him any attention he’d end up drunk in an alley somewhere or sucking on one of those guns he loves so much. And now that I think about it he’ll probably end up sucking on one of those guns.

Anyway, this dude is meant to be ignored, but also watched (if possible).

Nor is dumping comments reflecting political beliefs not perfectly aligned with your own. Unlike you, Susan dear, Ian’s never stooped to that. I wonder if maybe that’s why his Alexa ranking is much higher than your own? Considering how rife NH is with leftists like yourself, that must be quite humbling.

Demond
on August 17, 2017 at 3:34 am

For years, I enjoyed FTL podcast. I can’t say that I agreed with much of it, but I had to respect the show’s point of view. I stopped listening when Cantwell became a co-host. He spouted thinly veil racism through his brand of intellectuism. It was sad that he was allowed to continue until he actually used a racial slur. But his racism and sexism was always there

Sheryl P
on August 17, 2017 at 6:22 am

I remember this vile little man from the 2012 election cycle. He was a walking stereotype of an internet troll who literally lived in his mom’s basement before he moved to Keene. I never liked him. He was always so hateful and never seemed to mesh with the libertarian philosophy. I never understood why so many libertarians embraced him. I had hoped he’d fallen off the face of the earth; Turns out, he’s just playing the role of Neo-Nazi now. It never really occurred to me until seeing that awful crying performance that he might be an agent provocateur. That, or just really shameless in how he makes his living. At this point, I’m convinced it could be either one.

davidinkeene
on August 17, 2017 at 7:39 am

ian must have deleted cantwells fk articles

davidinkeene
on August 17, 2017 at 8:39 am

ok quick search showed there are FULL articles by cantwell but they are POSTED by Ian…there is a brief into then a cantwell article.. so Ian gets both…lol.. same as he gets both in this “oh i dont like cantwell,” while simultaneously gushing bro love over him …cantwell may not even be a racist that much… but it gets him clicks and attention… Ian is the same … selling racism gets them clicks … the “curious” part is that Ian also claims principles and the moral high ground every single night … hes a douchbag and a liar

Randi Macquade
on August 17, 2017 at 9:16 am

Disgusting to see this dirtball come out of Beautiful Keene NH. I lived in NH for close to 20 yrs. and loved it.

Pinochet1443
on August 17, 2017 at 10:11 am

you didn’t link to him crying on youtube AFTER the UniteTheRight incident in his hotel room…FACT

Tai R
on August 17, 2017 at 1:26 pm

It turns out that Chris Cantwell’s YouTube channel has been taken down.

BIG D.
on August 17, 2017 at 2:59 pm

How can this idiot, that is known to be connected to a homeland terrorist group, be allowed to have all the weapons he has,, i don’t get it. They need to confiscate his weapons before he really snaps and goes out on a shooting spree.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFDHqs518xY&t=2s

Drac Vermell
on August 17, 2017 at 3:55 pm

By extension, BIG D., do you think that the urine and feces that our dear friends on the other side like to throw around should be confiscated as well? Perhaps we can have a poop registry that keeps track of all the bladders and bowels of Antifa and BLM activists? You know, to make certain they’re all fully evacuated before allowing them to freely walk the streets with decent folks?

davidinkeene
on August 17, 2017 at 4:21 pm

the video of chris crying and calling out to fucking keene cop tenny…hes prob just mad that some cash is being taken from him because of youtube restrictions….im not sure how much $ loss he is suffering …maybe this hubbub is increasing his $…idk…im thinking not tho

DoubleDoh
on August 17, 2017 at 8:13 pm

Ian Bernard – you think we are stupid? There’s video ‘papertrail’ of Cantwell having his own show and guesting on your FreeKeene videoblog.

DoubleDoh
on August 17, 2017 at 8:14 pm

Video blog = that shitty daily ‘radioshow’

mdj
on August 18, 2017 at 11:05 am

Exactly what crime is Chris Cantwell accused of?

davidinkeene
on August 18, 2017 at 12:32 pm

^ gay prostitution,while dressed as a girl

Drac Vermell
on August 18, 2017 at 2:01 pm

@mdj

“Illegal use of gases and injury by caustic agent or explosive.”

In Chris’s case the “agent” was pepper spray, which he’s maintained was used only defensively. Considering Chris had already been assaulted twice by rival activists (also with pepper spray), his self-defense claim is certainly plausible.

mdj
on August 18, 2017 at 2:32 pm

@Drac thanks for the info.

JJ
on August 19, 2017 at 4:08 am

Yea- I don’t doubt he was maced. I don’t like the guy- but everyone has a right to communicate. I don’t think government should have any right to take Chris’s guns or force censorship of ‘hate speech’. On the contrary I think companies with communications platforms should act as neutral platforms because its the right thing to do. It’s wrong to take down content you disagree with even if it shouldn’t be illegal. I would not censor my customers or users even at the cost of $$$. Understandably that is a hard position to take though. The ideal world we’d have a more decentralized web. Until Mozilla gets its act together or somebody comes out with built-in functionality to decentralize though we’ll all be at the mercy of centralized entities be it ISPs, hosting companies, or services like Facebook and Google. And that is a danger to everyone with a minority view on anything. And it doesn’t even take a minority for for it to be a threat. You might hold a majority view- but if someone comes to power that changes the system enough you might find your ‘big government’ view targeted. You communists / socialists were once targeted and now that you have a little bit of political clout you think it’s OK to censor others. No- no- it’s not. It was wrong for them to put you on lists and its wrong to put people like Cantwell on a list. Judge these people for what they do- not for what some or many that they associate with do. I doubt there are two people on the planet who agree on every little thing.

Jeff
on August 19, 2017 at 11:46 am

I stopped listening to FTL after Cantwell joined… I remember a certain co-host buying into his hateful bullshit about a group of people (not cops, a minority)and that’s when I realized ftl hosts cared more about acting like they’re giving consideration to unconventional (even hateful) views, than they cared about giving consideration to the experiences of people who are different from them. They were more interested in opening the discussion to hate, than standing up for their fellow humans. That was years ago when I decided, after years of DAILY listening to FTL, it had become negative and I quit. Today I watched the pathetic video of what became of this rage filled loser and heard the same angry voice that drove me away from FTL. If you were more caring towards others, you would have known what he was. He always had it in him.

Wow. While his speech is certainly abhorrent it is protected by the constitution. C’ville wants to prosecute him for felony pepper spraying? Will they prosecute Deandre Harris for menacing? Political trumped up charges stemming from peace officers who were ordered to stand down. The state and local government in Charlottesville, Va are in for a big surprise when the civil rights investigation goes to discovery. This will be one wild ride. My ad-blocker is locked and loaded. 😉

Andrew
on August 20, 2017 at 2:03 pm

Cantwell is not an advocate of violence, except in defense.

Cantwell is an ally of freedom, not an enemy. This is a sad mischaracterization in my opinion.

DoubleDoh
on August 20, 2017 at 5:37 pm

@andrew….oh honey….we all saw the VICE video….Cantwell and his allies Free Keene are toaste.

Double D darling. I’m sorry to shatter your illusions here, but assuming Chis is even indicted, have you considered just how difficult it’s going to be for the PA to convince a jury that Chris was not acting defensively when he discharged that little canister of pepper spray from his key chain? After all sweetums, he’d already been assaulted by rival activists in two previous incidents. The PA will need a very compelling argument to persuade a jury to overlook that fact.

Todd Gakk
on August 22, 2017 at 12:56 pm

I’ve seen lots of libertarians eventually go down the Cantwell road. First they had Obama to blame for their neurosis. Now that Trump is president, these libertarians spend all their time explaining how they don’t love Trump so much as they hate people who hate Trump. Few are convinced. These libertarians cheer alt-right sewer Breitbart when that hate-site calls America’s free press “the opposition party,” and they agree with Trump when he irresponsibly and maliciously labels journalists as “enemies of the people.” The difference between Cantwell and these alt-right libertarians is just a matter of degree. Don’t believe me? https://glibertarians.com/